The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1887-11-17
she cried. ..Who can have been so

be helped. Let us 90 home. There
is an end of the subscription-money
now"
Slowly and sadly the two women
toiled back up the hill with the
wheelbarrow and the basket. Mr..
Hay. just returned from the harvest.
field, heard their story with amaze
ment.
''it's the first time that ever tree Of
mine was robbed" said he. 81 didn't
know as we had such boys in the
neighborhood, but, look here, Polly,
don't cry" laying his broad brown
hand soothingly on his daughters
shoulder. s'lt's always darkest just
before daylight. Here's So gold
piece that Mrs. Blake paid me for the
hay in the up medder. | was GO
ing to take it toward the taxes, but
guess taxes can wait.
mo. father" said Mary, "our just
debts are our just debts Ioughtn't to
touch this money"
'Squinches, eh," said Luke Larabee,
who had come in with stone pitcher
for a gallon of Mrs. Hays cider vinegar.
''Squinches is mighty scuss this season.
l zee Mrs. Biggard's folks doin' up a
sight on 'em when I was over there
this morning. Mrs. Biggard, she's
dreadful churchy, you know, and the
parson he'd said he was partial to pre-
served squinches; and there was she
and Ruey and Almiry tuckerin like all
possessed to get EN- done"
Says l:
why, whar did ye get all them ERE
squinchesP'
Says she:
Il bought 'em of a boy at the door,
Says l:
No, ye didn't Electa Biggard; ye
got EN- last night outen old Farmer
Hays sidehill squinch orchard, clus to
the railroad, says /, 'cause / seen
you and Ruey a-carryin' the clothes
basket between you, and it was cram
jam full o big yaller squinches.
''And so did, for our COW she got
outen the field and wandered down
the railroad, and | was huntin' of her
by moonlight, when | seen them from
the track. Wal, you should have seen
her turn redder than the big bell
dippers out in the garden patch.
"'What an if | did,? says she. Mary
Hay she gave 'em to me.
90 says l, that's a horse of
another color says |.
But now it appears" with his
shabby, gray eyebrows slightly ele-
vated, "that ye didn't give 'em to her,
hey?"
Mary and her mother looked blank
II at each other. The good father
chuckled.
Them ounces was worth S. at the
very least, he said. 81 guess, Polly,
if was you I'd collect the money"
The ladies Of the Fund Committee
were at Mrs. Bggard's house that
afternoon. A good many faithful and
devout sisters were present, and some
of the brotherhood as well.
Mr.. Mildmay sauntered in toward
tea-time and was thanking Zeruiah and
Almira Biggard for the beautiful lars
of preserved ounces which had found
their way to the rectory, when Mrs.
Biggard's shrill voice sounded above
the hum of general discourse.
"Now that the minister is here there
amt no reason why we shouldn't rem
der in our accounts" she cackled.
"And I'm happy to say that every lady
in the parish has given something to
the Eboe Indian fund except Miss
Hay"
Mr.. Mildmay bit his lip, Zeruiah
cast down her white-lashed eyes, Almira
giggled family.
MA is so frank spoken" she said.
Il scarcely think quietly observed
Mr.. Mildmay, .'that there was any
necessity for particularizing in such a
matter as this"
II hain't no patience with mean
folks said Mrs. Biggard, speaking in
q stage-aside.
But Mary Hay had risen calmly
from her seat among the younger
ladies.
Neither have T." said she. "And so
| propose to subscribe to the fund the
So which Mrs. Biggard is going to pay
me-"
She moved easily and gracefully
toward the lady of the house, and held
out her hand with an air of calm ex-
pectancy.
''Me.' cried Mrs. Biggard. "Goin
to pay you 50! | guess that gal is
crazy! What in the world should | pay
you 80 for!
For the ounces" said Mary, enjoy
ing the sudden panic which turned the
matronly, rubicund face to the color of
badly-risen dough, ''the ounces which
you bought of Us last nj ght and forgot
to pay for"
Mrs. Biggard uttered something-no-
body knew exactly what it was, but the
changes of her complexion would have
reminded one of the proyerbial "dying
dolphin" as she drew out her purse
and deposited crumpled tive-dollar
bill in Miss Hays quietly-extended
palm.
IL confess I've been neglectful," I"
said she. Il s'pose l ought to hev at
tended to it before"
81 think you ought, indeed" was
Miss Hays calm reply.
Il didn't knows you cared nothin'
for them ounces, muttered Mrs.
Biggard, "or 1 wouldn't hev touched
'em, not on no account"
You might at least have paid us the
compliment of asking u.s." said Mary
curtly.
And she put the S. bill in the little
blue-ribboned collection basket"
which was in Miss Zeruiah Biggard's
especial care.
Mr.. Mildmay walked home with her
that evening. She did not tell him the
story of the ounces, to her credit be it
spoken. Mary Hay was not one to
strike a fallen enemy. And perhaps
she and Mr.. Mildmay had pleasanter
topics of conversation than any of the
numerous faults and failings of Mrs.
Biggard.
But honest Luke Larrabee was by
no means so reticent He related the
little incident of the moonlight raid on
the ounce orchard far and wide.
''And them Biggards is always a
quotin Scripter texts" said he. ''And
the old lady sings hymns the loudest of
anyone in church, and Zeruiah is set
tin her cap at the young minister. I'd
jest like to see her face when she hears
Mr.. Mildmay and Mary Hay is to be
married in the spring."